30 Going On 18

             Seven Weeks from today, I will hit the big 3-0. Holy crap I’m no longer in my 20’s and I aught to slow down and take it easy a bit. Let my 30’s be a decade of losing a few hairs, maybe put on a little weight and let my testosterone drop a few points; not happening Brother. Turning 30 for many seems like a factor of aging and just plain sucks, not me my friend. I’m looking at it as being 18 with 12 years of experience. I’m pretty damn psyched turning 30, I’ve reached a milestone where I’m a little wiser and not feeling like I’m dreading a long road of vast experiences. I’ve experienced many things in my life, some good, some bad, a few uglies and plenty of weird and have survived an Earthquake, breaking my head open, meningitis, came back from a horrible leg injury and even went through a long-term relationship. I think I’m doing an awesome job.

            When you reach a certain age, health factors came into play. Certain things pop up like checking out how you fair out compared to your family history of medical issues and health issues like Heart Disease, Diabetes, Blood Pressure, Cancer and all that stuff. My family does have a history with some of these issues maybe not so much diabetes but Blood Pressure definitely. Cancer has hit my family on a couple people but you know what, I’m not too concerned about these health issues. I may change the way I eat a bit but for the most part, I feel incredible, I’am stronger and healthier than at any other time in my life. I can still move pretty damn good for a guy my size. Does this make me arrogant and a bit selfish, I don’t believe so because I love what I do, I give my life to helping others in fitness and using the skills I’ve developed to stay in awesome shape. Do I need to check up on things one day, of course but until then, you’ll find me swimming, pulling heavy cables, sprinting, practicing internal power and utilizing the most powerful programs with a heavy smile on my face.

            Age is just a number right? It may just be but there are other things to look at, it’s not just a number, its how you feel, how you live with yourself mentally and what gives you a purpose to have fun, love and be an awesome person inside and out. You hear from many people that age is just a number but how many actually live it and factor in the things I just listed; not many. Hell I’m only turning 30 for Christ sake, it’s not the end of the world and I still have fun and get to do what I do, I still have goals and aspirations to get better and my mind is sharper than it ever has been. Turning 30 is big for me in a lot of ways but on the other side of the coin, it’s just another double digit that’s all.

            For some turning a certain age like 30/40/50 so on, they get this unnecessary sadness, grief, feeling like it’s the end of the road and seeing themselves as unworthy because they don’t have the “time and energy” like they use to, bullshit. Your body is an amazing thing and when you factor in how you use your mind, it is a part of the living, beautiful experience of not only gaining wisdom and knowledge but to still have an awesome body if you apply yourself. Let’s face it, I’ve accepted the fact that I won’t develop a six pack, I’ll be shocked if that hit one day but I can still go and am far more agile and stronger than most guys 10 years younger than me especially in this day and age when obesity has hit the jackpot plus I look younger than my age and I’m damn proud of that.

            In order to feel like a million bucks, you’ve got to feel it (no shit Sherlock), breathe it, live it and know in your heart despite all the crap you’ve been through, the positives outweigh the negatives when you make it so otherwise you’ll just be dreading like the rest of the world and doing your best to feel like you’re not good enough, worrying too much about nothing and then worrying about something else. When you turn a certain age, don’t dwell on it, be the best damn age that you are or think younger, not older or saying you’re this X years old or think Y is old age. I’m going to be 30 years young and haven’t peaked yet.

Be Awesome guys. 

You Are Your Best Trainer

            Over the last 8 years or so since I've succumbed to the Physical Culture bug, one thing has stretched in my mind more than anything else in my search for great training and that’s being your own best personal trainer. What does that mean being your own trainer? Simple really, it’s not allowing those who tell you to do something and go with creating your own way of training, being self-reliant. It’s not very easy to do because there is so much info out there that you don’t know what works and what doesn't.

          We have a plethora of programs to choose from, like bodybuilding, strongman, 8 days a week, the super programs of crossfit, the next gadget in the infomercials, how to build bigger arms, getting 12 pack abs, grip strength you catch my drift. The secret is finding what works for you. Experiment, do different programs at the same time, piss off the establishment who don’t know a lift even if they had a gun to their head (exaggeration I know but it’s a good metaphor though). Those who try to tell you what’s superior, what’s the coolest trend, how to build a program that has nothing to do with your progression; they’re the ones who keep you from making something of yourself on your own. Trust your instincts, be bold and question things.

            Nobody really just trains and has fun anymore, to quote the joker “why so serious?” We pay to go to the gym and do all these crazy programs and eventually after a few weeks we just give up and quit. It’s not how hard you push yourself, its how much fun to do something you love to do. If you don’t love training but just keep running through the motions, sure it’s better than nothing but you won’t find the results you want. Train and have fun with it, focus on what you want, use your imagination and create something for yourself. Yes I believe if you have a goal you should be focused on it, be determined and willing to go beyond it and strive to excel at your challenges but don’t become a mean asshole to get there, play a little and make it an adventure.

            There’s always someone that follows specific programs and for some it’s the end-all-be-all for others it’s temporary and the rest think outside the box. Mix things up, draw outside the lines. Here’s an example, I’ve learned from many different guys and even some women and yet I don’t worship their craft and take all of them as a god/goddess of the fitness world. I respect what they do but I don’t agree on everything they do, if you agree with everything then you might as well not have a brain of your own. I love some of these people, some as if they’re my family but I also love being creative. I take chunks out of their craft and mold it into my own thing, kind of like Michelangelo carving out David; I take chunks of concrete to create a masterpiece.

            Love what you do, be creative, feel what you want to do. Think outside the box, be weird, be a dork whatever you are who you are and should train according to who you are as a person. Be safe but don’t be lazy, progress at your own pace and train smart. If you happen to get hurt, then you need to change things around and don’t ever stop learning. Think and Grow because eventually, you’ll find something someone doesn’t like or does but only you will love it the way it is and no one can take it away from you. That’s the heart of being your own trainer. 

Giving & Receiving Love

           We all strive to find what we love to do. Most of the time we end up doing things we end up hating like a certain job, a marriage that isn't going anywhere or being in business that just doesn't work for you. What you love is what makes you more successful. Doing what you love and making it effortless creates abundance of love in other aspects. Giving love whether it’s friendship, a relationship, comforting or just making someone’s day develops that energy of also receiving love.

            Being a loving person in just about any way without being egotistical or a kiss ass is showing how magnetic you can be when you step up to the plate and show your soft side, funny side or whatever. There are people out there that are very loving but don’t know how to use it because there’s a difference between being a loving person and having an agenda for your personal gain. Learn to love those that may not always deserve it no matter how much there’s tension and closed-minded individuals.

            To practice receiving love effortlessly is to be open to give it and letting the universe flow with your energy. It’s not easy and not everyone is going to love but with the right attitude things can change dramatically and for the better. I have much to learn from this as I’m being more open to a positive attitude, I may fall off the wagon every now and then but that’s what makes us human. “Why do we fall? So we can pick ourselves back up” is a great way to look at things. Learn to love and pick those who have fallen back up because sometimes it’s good to have an extra hand when you need it the most.

            To be honest, for those that never met me, I’m an affectionate and compassionate person, I do hug those I care for and I like holding hands and softly kissing the girl I’m in a relationship with but enough of being mushy yet my point is, some people come off as very intimidating and look tough and nothing but a dark and gloomy side to them but that’s where your assumptions can be very vulnerable as you never know who can be such a loving person. Affection and compassion give off energy to those around you and it’s fairly simple to balance out from being too much or too little, just takes practice.

            In the fitness world, there are a lot of egotistical people who never help those who want to achieve something great. I’m very fortunate to have the people who helped me in my life and I want to give that back by helping others achieve their dreams in the best way I can. See my point? If you see someone in the gym and they’re having trouble using an exercise, help them, ask them to show you how you can do it right. We all want love in our lives whether it’s a relationship, family, friends, business or even when you exercise around certain people. Be a great human being, help out, give tips or if you are in a relationship, comfort those whom you’re with and love them for who they are. It’s only a matter of time before something really awesome happens in your life when you least expect it, even for a split second or maybe a whole hour but it’s there and it’s yours when it’s right.